Ashby Santoso

Captain Ashby Santoso is the captain and owner of the Wayfarer.

Appearance and Personality
Ashby is Human, described as having "tight black curls and amber skin". As an Exodan his ancestry is racially mixed, and he has also inherited a strong belief in pacifism. He tries hard to respect diversity, suppress his darker impulses, and seek diplomatic solutions even in severe circumstances.

Early Life
Ashby grew up in the Exodus Fleet, and his family still live there. On the Exodan homesteader Asteria he has an elderly father ("Pop"), and a sister, Tessa, who has two children, Ky (aged 2) and Aya (aged 9). He regularly sends credit to both Tessa and his father.

On Board the Wayfarer
Ashby bought the Wayfarer second-hand and refitted it as a tunnelling ship, acting as captain and personally hiring his own crew. The rest of the crew respect his command of the vessel, trusting him to make the right decision for all of them. In part, this is because Ashby treats most of the crew as his friends, and consults them on important decisions where possible. He has a particularly close relationship with Sissix, and they regularly play chess together.

Sometime after buying the Wayfarer, Ashby met and fell in love with Pei during a visit to Port Coriol. The two have since carried on a relationship largely in secret, as Pei is an Aeluon whose career would be damaged by news of an inter-species relationship. However, after Ashby's near-death on Hedra Ka, Pei decided she no longer cared who knew about their relationship, and would not hide it any more.

Sissix
Ashby and Sissix are close friends. They both know each others' families, and they regularly play chess together in Ashby's office. Ashby is Sissix's feather brother, which amounts to chosen family.

Pei
Ashby and Pei share a romantic and sexual relationship. They have kept this secret, fearing backlash from Aeluon society which has a strong taboo against inter-species relationships. However, after Ashby nearly dies at Hedra Ka, Pei decides that the risk of being open about their relationship is worth it for the freedom to meet openly and show their concern for one another, and she will no longer lie to hide their romance.